Shane Hargrave
Senior Minister
Shane has served as the Senior Minister of LCC since February of 2005. Graduating from Great Lakes Christian College in 1995 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Biblical Theology, Shane has served church families in Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Florida. He continued his education at Cincinnati Christian University, graduating in 2002 with a Master of Arts degree with emphasis in Practical Ministry. Shane comes from a family which has served in fulltime Christian ministry for over four generations, so naturally his plan after high school was to teach history and coach basketball in Indiana. One of the great things about life is God’s story for us is often different than our own. While serving in ministry capacities during college, he realized the greatest fulfillment he received in life was serving people and sharing the truly amazing transforming power and unconditional love of Jesus with a culture seeking truth and authenticity.
Some of Shane’s interests are world travel, history, Indiana Hoosier basketball, Dallas Cowboy football, and going to the beach.
Wes Sewell
Associate/Worship Minister
Wes likes to call two places his hometowns: Nevada, Missouri and Chesapeake, Ohio. His blended family includes ten siblings. This is never more apparent than at Christmas time when PEZ dispensers can make great gifts! When he is not working, Wes enjoys reading, playing guitar, electronic gadgetry, and spending time with family and friends. Wes loves his wife, Marlena, and their children, Abby, Wyatt, and Jack. Wes wants to be a faithful and loving husband, and a father who wants to see, “all my children grow up into intimate, submissive, relationships with Jesus Christ.” He would also like to write a book and publish some of his music.
Wes desires to help others discover the intimacy and fulfillment that comes from honest worship. He is dedicated to the teenagers he leads and wants to be a positive influence in their lives. Wes is also a very talented songwriter and wants his songs to be used to help people see that worship stretches far beyond Sunday morning. He seeks to take this message beyond Lakeland in the many missions trips he has embarked on.
Wes is thankful for all the close relationships he has at Legacy and is committed to serving this family in whatever way God may lead him. Visit Wes’s Myspace page, and request to add him as a friend.
Erica Garrett
Director of Spiritual Development
Erica grew up in Michigan, but calls Florida her dream home. She is completing her Master’s of Religious Education degree from Lincoln Christian Seminary. She has served within the Restoration Movement at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky. But, she has also worked in the larger church body, most recently serving at the Englewood United Methodist church in Englewood, Florida.
While planning on starting a doctorate program in psychology, Erica heard God’s call to ministry. Now she feels so blessed to be the one in a million people that gets their dream job: loving and serving God as a profession! Her passion is to help each person grow more in love with Christ and better shaped in His image. After that, she loves reading, traveling, crafts, and free long-distance calling.
Ben Bowman
Student Minister
Ben Bowman is the youth director at Legacy Christian Church. Now married, Ben began leading worship in middle school. He became a Youth Pastor straight out of high school for First Baptist Church of Cocoa. He then played and toured for a number of years with a Christian rock band. After much success in and out of the band he moved to Harmony, Florida where he became the worship leader and youth pastor for First Baptist Church at Harmony. While serving there Ben met Rachel and they were married on July 7, 2007. Ben has been trained in classical music, having studied cello and bass in orchestral music and was a member of the jazz band in high school. Visit Ben’s Blog for Everyone.
Stacy Bennett
Ministry Assistant
Stacy has lived in Lakeland since 1995. She grew up in a small town in northwest Ohio then graduated from Owen’s College with an AA in Marketing. For the past 10 years she has been a stay at home mom. Her daughter Avery is a fifth grader at Cleveland Court Elementary where Stacy has been active on the PTO Board since 2003.
Her interest include reading, photography, scrapbooking, and getting around Lake Hollingsworth by walking, rollerblading or biking.
Katie Thompson
Children’s Ministry
Katie is currently completing her bachelor’s degree in elementary education at Southeastern University and plans to graduate in the spring of 2009. She grew up in West Chester, Ohio, just outside of Cincinnati. Katie began volunteering in children's ministry at her church in seventh grade and eventually became a lead teacher for Sunday school, VBS, summer day camp activities, and children’s choir. For her first two years of college, she served as a children’s ministry intern at Lakeside Baptist church. Although Katie’s degree will be in elementary education, she has known for many years that her calling is to work in children’s ministry and is excited to see what God has in store for her future.
In her spare time Katie enjoys scrapbooking, reading, running/working out, watching Ohio State and Cincinnati Bengals football games, and going to Disney World.
Mary Etta Dillow
Volunteer Ministry Assistant
Mary Etta Dillow moved to Lakeland from her 500 acre farm in Winchester, Indiana in 1999. Her husband Richard passed away as the result of a stroke in 1996 after 48 years of marriage. When asked about her husband, she said she had known him since she was three years old. They were married when she was just seventeen and began farming on an 80 acre farm before moving to the 500 acre farm in Winchester. Mary Etta had five children: three boys and two girls. In 2003 she sold her home with one acre of land so she could become a full time resident of Florida. She still owns the farm that is run by one of her sons. Until her youngest child was ten years of age Mary Etta was a full time mom and housewife. Her first job away from home was with a jewelry store, followed by an exercise salon, then she worked as a receptionist at a hair salon. She has always been active in church and began teaching primary age Sunday School when she was 17. She still enjoys helping around the church in any way she can. You can find Mary Etta at the church several times a week, filing, answering the phone with her cheerful voice, cleaning and dusting the offices and anything else that needs to be done.